Aware, an nongovernmental organisation floated by local legislator BN Vijay Kumar, is offering SSLC coaching classes, karate lessons, computer skills training and courses in foreign languages, all free of charge, for girls and women in Jayanagar. An exclusive helpline will also be set up for girls to make them feel secure.
According to Kumar, the initiative was started in the wake of the Delhi gangrape incident which has created a fear psychosis in the minds of women and girls. “Although Jayanagar in particular, and Bangalore in general, are relatively safer than Delhi, we want the girls here to feel more confident. Our free martial arts workshops will teach them how to protect themselves by using simple things such as hairpin, dupatta, pepper spray and pepper powder,” he said.
The martial arts classes starting from Tuesday have been divided into batches for the convenience of school and college students, homemakers and employed women.
Karate instructor Praveen and his students will train them. The lessons are expected to help women and girls to tackle chain-snatchers, eve-teasers and such rogue elements. The classes will be free of cost for women and girls of Jayanagar constituency.
A helpline will also be launched for girls. The NGO is also offering free coaching to about 1,000 SSLC students every day. The helpline will start functioning from next month. The toll-free number is ready and it will announced soon.
“While interacting with girl students, I realised that the difficulties they faced in their daily life was preventing them from performing well in academics,” he said.
According to Kumar, mostly girls belonging to middle and poor classes are targeted. “Our organisation deals with their problems. They will help girls in trouble,” he said.
